BERLIN — Lisa Conti had dinner Monday night with a new friend, a West Hartford woman whose life Conti helped save last Thanksgiving after the woman fell on a remote trail and cut her head badly.

"I didn't know her before, but we've become friends since," said Conti, who was the sole civilian honored Wednesday night at a Berlin police awards ceremony.

The woman, 49, slipped on icy leaves hiking in Ragged Mountain Preserve and was bleeding from a 10-inch cut from scalp to cheek when Conti, hiking with a friend, heard her cries for help.

Conti slowed the blood flow with a towel she had in her hiking bag, followed instructions from a 911 dispatcher and did what she could to comfort the victim on that cold, rainy day. It took rescue teams 63 minutes to reach the remote spot in the rocky ridgeline trail near the Southington border.

The victim, hospitalized for days after being rescued, contacted Conti after she got home to thank her and also returned Conti's towel, which she had dry-cleaned to remove the bloodstains.

The hourlong ceremony on Monday was a testament to people whose extraordinary efforts over the past two years helped people in trouble, stopped crime, put out fires, rescued the injured and aided the distraught.

Bill Manafort came to the event, in a Northeast Utilities auditorium, to explain publicly how the assistance of three police officers meant at a time when he was half-crazed by substance abuse and emotional troubles.

Manafort said Lt. Jim Gosselin, Det. Sean McMahon and Det. David Cruickshank saved his life after worried family members contacted people and said they were afraid Manafort might hurt himself or others. The three officers found Manafort at his workplace and talked him out to get medical help. They also got him to turn over firearms he had with him.

"Because of what they did, I ultimately have another chance at life," Manafort told the audience.

A total of 27 awards were given to 12 officers, 3 firefighters and Conti. Some officers received more than one award.